Wheat-steamer



(No Model.)

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WHEAT STEAMER.

Patented Jan; 19,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM L. MATHENVS, OF MARLETTE, MICHIGAN.

WHEAT-STEAMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,550, dated January19, 1897. Application filed February 25. 1896. Serial No. 580,667. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom i2; may concern.-

Be it known that I,WILLTAM L. MATHEws, of Marlette,in the county ofSanilac and State of Michigan, have invented a new and ImprovedlVheat-Steamer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedwheat-steamer which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, and arranged to hold or retard theconstantly-moving grain for a considerable length of time to insure aproper absorption of the steam by the kernels.

The invention consists principally of a casing provided with a series ofannular hoppers located one above the other, and deflecting-cones, onefor each hopper, and arranged centrally below the same to cause adischarge of the grain from one hopper upon the next cone below, and anoutward deflection from this cone into the next hopper below.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter andthen pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line 11 of Fig. 2. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view withthe cap and upper portion removed, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section ofthe upper portion of the device. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 ofFig. i.

The improved wheat-steamer is provided with a suitably-constructedcasing A, pro vided at its upper end with a conically-shaped cap B,supporting a centrally-arranged and vertically-disposed pipe 0, on theupper end of which is mounted to turn a short regulating-pipe D, intowhich fits the lower end of the hopper E,receiving the grain to besteamed from a suitable chute, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The short regulating-pipe D is providep with a cross-piece D, in whichscrews the upper threaded end of a rod F, carrying at its lower end afeed-regulating cone F, arranged in the lower end of the central pipe 0,to regulate the feed of the grain passing through the pipe 0 into thecasing A. The

lower portion of the rod F is made square and fits into acorrespondingly-shaped opening in a cross-piece D fixed in the pipe 0,and consequently when the pipe D is turned by the operator the rod F andthe cone F are moved upward or downward, according to the direction inwhich said pipe D is turned, so that more or less of a feed-opening ismade between the surface of the cone and the lower end of the pipe 0. Bythis arrangement the operator is enabled to give more or less feed tothe grain to insure a positive feed of the grain in an annular stream.The cone F also deflects the grain outward into a hopper G, made in theshape of an inverted frustum of a cone, said hopper being secured at itsupper end to the inside of the casing A. The hopper G discharges thegrain upon a deflecting-cone II, arranged centrally to the hopper G andwith its base below the lower end of the hopper, as plainly indicated inFig. 1. This deflecting-cone II is secured on a central rod I, extendingvertically in the casing A and secured at its lower and upper ends incross-pieces J J, held in the casing A.

The (lefieetin g-cone H deflects the grain on twardly into a secondhopper G, similar to the hopper G, and secured in the casing A below thehopper G and cone II, as shown in Fig. 1. The hopper G discharges thegrain in an inward direction into the steaming-oompartment A of thecasing A and upon a deflecting-cone II, similar to the cone H andlikewise secured to the rod I.

The steaming-compartment Ais provided with steam-inlet apertures Aformed in the wall of the casing A below the lower end of the hopper G,said openings leading to an annular steam-chamber K, surrounding thecasin g A. The steam-chamber K is provided on one side and near itsmiddle with an inletpipe K, connected with a suitable source ofsteam-supply, and from the bottom of said steam-chamber leads adischarge-pipe K for carrying off the water of condensation. Now it willbe seen that by this construction of a steam-chamber only dry'steampasses through the openings A into the steam-compartment A of the casingA, as the openings A are above the inlet K, and the outlet for the waterof condensation is below the inlet K. The steam thus entering thecompartment A comes in direct contact with the kernels of grain passingdown the hopper G, so that a proper steaming of all the grain takesplace.

The deflecting-cone H deflects the grain outwardly into another hopper Glocated below the cone H and secured in the casing A, and this hopper G2discharges the grain in an inward direction upon the deflecting-conellsecured to the rod I and arranged relatively to the hopper G in the samemanner as the cone H is relatively to the hopper G. The deflecting-coneH causes the grain to be deflected outwardly into the last hopper Garranged in the lower part of the casin g A and discharges the grain toan outlet-opening A formed in the bottom of the casing A.

In order to prevent clogging of the grain in the lower hopper G Iprovide an inverted cone H fitting with its base upon the base of thecone H and likewise secured to the rad I, to extend centrally in thehopper G The bases of the cones H H H are somewhat less in diameter thanthe diameters of the lower ends of the hoppers G G G to permit ofremoving said cones and rod I from the casing A when the latter isopened at the top by the removal of the cap B. By this arrangementconvenient access can be had to all the parts of the steamer for repairsand other purposes.

Having thus fully described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A Wheat-steamer, comprising a casing havinga cap supporting a central feed-pipe, a regulating-pipe mounted to turnon said feed-pipe and provided with a cross-piece, a

non-rotary screw-threaded rod engaging in a tapped opening in saidcross-piece, a regulating-cone on the lower end of the rod, a series ofannular hoppers arranged one above another in said casing, adeflecting-cone below and for each hopper, and an inverted cone in thelower hopper of the series to prevent clogging, substantially as shownand described.

2. A wheat-steamer, comprising a casing having a cap supporting acentral feed-pipe, a regulating-pipe mounted to turn on said feedpipeand provided with a cross-piece, a screwrod screwing in saidcross-piece, means for preventing a rotary movement of the screwrod anda cone fitting into the lower end of said feed-pipe and secured to saidrod, to permit of regulating the feed-opening between the cone andfeed-pipe upon turning said regulating-pipe, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. A wheat-steamer, comprising a casing having a cap supporting acentral feed-pipe, a regulating-pipe mounted to turn on said feed-pipeand provided with a cross-piece, a screw-rod screwing in saidcross-piece, a cone fitting into the lower end of said feed-pipe andsecured to said rod, to permit of regulating the feed-opening betweenthe cone and feed-pipe upon turning said regulating-pipe, and a fixedcross-piece in which the said rod is fitted to slide but prevented fromturning, substantially as shown and described.

lVILLlAM L. MATHElVS.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE L. Mnssnn, JOHN DAWsoN.

